Longlegs Movie Ending Explained: Fate of Lee Harker Revealed

Longlegs, a compelling horror film directed by Osgood Perkins, concludes with a haunting combination of shocking deaths and intricate revelations. The film features standout performances from Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, showcasing Cage in one of his most memorable roles. In a gripping finale, Agent Lee Harker confronts the realities of her past, discovering her own connection to the killer, Longlegs, which leads to his eventual arrest. Utilizing pieces of evidence in the form of letters left at various crime scenes, Agent Harker uncovers that she herself was once one of the killer’s targets. Ultimately, the FBI manages to identify and apprehend Longlegs after revealing his true identity through a photo.

Throughout the film, Longlegs speaks cryptically, referencing a “friend of a friend” and quotes Revelation 13:1 before taking his own life. In an emotional turn, Harker seeks the truth from her mother, while Ruth, a pivotal character in the narrative, murders Harker’s colleague and showcases her twisted sense of freedom after her nefarious deal with Longlegs, wherein she agrees to deliver dolls connected to the murders to the victims’ families. In a harrowing twist, Agent Carter, whose family becomes entwined in the chaos, also meets a tragic end at the hands of his own actions, forcing Harker into a deadly confrontation where she ultimately ends Ruth’s life. However, as the film closes, Harker appears frozen in a moment of hesitance as she confronts the final doll, which raises questions about her control.

Is Agent Lee Harker Under Longlegs’ Control at the End?

Harker Stares at Ruby’s Doll for an Entrancing Length of Time

Maika Monroe as Agent Lee Harker stands against a wall in Longlegs

In the film’s climactic moments, Agent Harker stands poised to shoot the doll, mimicking the act performed by Ruth earlier. However, although the sound of her gun discharging resonates, it is ambiguous whether it fired true due to a lack of bullets or perhaps the safety being engaged—a point that feels unlikely given her recent confrontations. Harker’s apparent paralysis while gazing at the doll suggests a deeper manipulation at play; she may indeed be under its influence, a chilling possibility that aligns with Longlegs’ thematic resonance throughout her life. This hypnotic pull may signify Longlegs’ lingering presence, as he seemingly reaches out from beyond the grave, maintaining an ominous grip on Harker.

While fear could account for Harker’s inaction, it’s equally plausible that she is entangled in a deeper psychological connection attributed to Longlegs. The doll, a physical manifestation of his dark legacy, may continue to ensnare Harker until his sinister intentions are achieved. Given that Ruby remains alive, one must consider whether Longlegs intends to leverage Harker to complete the sinister agenda he initiated alongside Ruth.

Decoding Longlegs & Ruth Harker’s Quotation of Revelation 13:1

Unveiling the Satanic Undertones of the 2024 Film

Nicolas Cage with his hands over his face in Longlegs

The motives driving Nicolas Cage’s character, Longlegs, to target families remain obscured, yet both he and Ruth Harker referencing Revelation 13:1 suggests a profound connection to themes of evil and deception. This Biblical passage introduces a beast characterized by seven heads and ten horns, traditionally associated with ominous forces such as the Antichrist. In the film, both Longlegs and Ruth embody these darker elements, ensnaring families with the false promise of gifts from the church while orchestrating their doom.

Known as Dale Ferdinand Cobble in life, the narrative leaves much of Longlegs’ backstory unexplored, particularly regarding his sinister creation of dolls meant to victimize families.

Interestingly, Ruth’s earlier inquiry to Harker about prayer evolves throughout the film, culminating in her declaration that prayers are futile. This transformation reveals her entrapment by Longlegs, compelling her to engage in increasingly violent actions, all while believing she is protecting her daughter. Ruth’s actions culminate in her own transformation into an agent of evil, echoing Longlegs’ perverse mission and reflecting a corrupting influence at play, worthy of the title “the second beast”in the context of this moral subversion.

Insights into the Families’ Experiences After Receiving Longlegs’ Dolls

The Unspoken Details of Their Disturbing Transitions

Longlegs crafts dolls that Ruth distributes to targeted families. While the dolls possess hollow silver orbs within their heads, these orbs do not convey direct commands in a conventional manner. However, they emit a haunting static-like whisper that only the recipient families can hear, casting a trance over them. This eerie phenomenon suggests that Longlegs imbues each doll with a fragment of his essence, allowing his influence to pervade their minds, effectively whispering malevolent ideas into their consciousness.

The Significance Behind Targeting Families with Daughters Born on the 14th

Linking the Murders to Numerological Symbolism

Maika Monroe stares at a wall of satanic symbols from evidence in Longlegs

Longlegs meticulously chooses his victims by targeting families with daughters whose birthdays fall on the 14th of the month. The murders typically occur within a six-day window surrounding these birthdays, which may hold symbolic significance, particularly related to the number 666 appearing throughout religious texts. While the film does not explicitly reveal Longlegs’ motivations for this specific targeting, the numerical connection to Revelation 13:1 (13+1=14) hints at deeper thematic interpretations. The number seven, representing completeness and divine authority in the Bible, reinforces the notion that Longlegs believed he was orchestrating a form of salvation through his violent acts.

Every Character Who Died in Longlegs

Longlegs

Ruth Harker

Agent Carter

Anna Carter

Agent Browning

Carrie Anne Camera

Father Camera

Carrie Anne Camera’s mother

Setting the Stage for a Potential Sequel to Longlegs

Uncovering New Paths for Harker and Ruby

Maika Monroe as Agent Lee Harker screams while driving in Longlegs

The film concludes on an ambiguous cliffhanger, leaving audiences pondering the fates of both Harker and Ruby. While the primary antagonists are dead, the enduring presence of the doll raises the prospect that Longlegs may still exert influence beyond his demise. Harker’s hesitation to destroy the doll implies a form of spiritual or psychological bondage, potentially paving the way for her character to evolve into a dark reflection of the very villain she sought to apprehend. A sequel could delve into whether Harker inadvertently becomes a new “beast,”continuing the legacy of corruption and manipulation initiated by Longlegs and Ruth.

The narrative possibilities for Harker and Ruby’s journey remain vast, exploring whether they, too, could succumb to the allure of evil like their predecessors. Given the character development seen in Longlegs, such a direction could serve as an intriguing contrast, illustrating the moral complexities within Harker’s character as she grapples with her own identity in light of these harrowing developments.

Exploring the Deeper Significance of Longlegs’ Conclusion

Maika Monroe looking at an evidence board covered in symbols in Longlegs

Longlegs presents a narrative rich in thematic layers, weaving in religious motifs while subtly hinting at the fracturing of the nuclear family structure. The killer’s targeting of both children and parents underscores the insidious nature of evil, suggesting that no family is immune from violence, regardless of their outward appearance of normalcy. Harker’s circumstantial survival while emerging from a single-mother household emphasizes the vulnerability inherent in contemporary family dynamics. Furthermore, the film implies that even those deemed virtuous can be led down a dark path if convinced they’re acting in protection of their loved ones.

The finale of Longlegs contemplates the disturbing reality that individuals may resort to violence under the guise of justification, as evidenced by Harker’s drastic actions against her own mother to preserve life. This cycle of violence reflects the deeper moral dilemmas faced by all characters, revealing how easily anyone can become ensnared in conflicts that challenge their ethical boundaries.

The Critical Reception of Longlegs’ Ambiguous Ending

How Critics Responded to This Unconventional Horror

Nicolas Cage as the title character in Longlegs.

Longlegs has captivated audiences with its atmospheric horror style, garnering significant critical acclaim. Reviewers have particularly emphasized the film’s impressive cinematography, often eclipsing wider discussions about the narrative itself. For instance, Wendy Ide from The Guardian praises Perkins’ artistic vision:

Perkins clearly has an eye for a striking image. At first, we are struck by a recurring motif of obsessive symmetry within each shot, and an aspect ratio that switches between the tight little box reminiscent of home movie footage for a 70s flashback to a full rictus grin of a widescreen frame for the main story, set in the 90s. But once Harker has identified the satanic emblem, the screen is full of angles and triangles (created by shooting into the corners of rooms or foregrounding the zigzag of a staircase). Some of these shapes point upwards; more often they are inverted, perhaps subliminally signposting “the man downstairs” , as Longlegs coyly refers to the devil. Even the film’s structure takes a three-sided form, with the story neatly divided into three chapters. There’s an unexpected elegance to this window into unimaginable evil.

Despite the overall acclaim, some critiques surfaced regarding the film’s conclusion. Critics noted that while Cage’s character introduced a formidable antagonist, the film’s attempt to expand the narrative scope toward secondary characters led to a dilution of tension. Perkins acknowledges this narrative complexity:

[Nicolas Cage’s character] ultimately ties into one of the niggling issues with Longlegs. Having created a potentially iconic horror villain, the picture attempts to broaden the peril to encompass secondary malevolent characters.

This sentiment is shared among other reviewers, including Eliza Jensen from Rough Cut Film, who observed that the film’s final scenes fell short of the gripping intensity established in the opening sequences:

I must admit that the patchwork plot of supernatural twists and character reveals doesn’t quite live up to what’s promised by that startling opening scene.

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